Fair Hill was great. I think the picture says it all but if you need the details...
It was about 8:30 when Shawn and I took off to that lovely place called Fair Hill. Our goal was to get down there with time to set up and watch most of the Sport race. Check. We saw James flying past out of the start. A few minutes later, in the Single Speed category, Seth went whizzing past. It was looking like a good day for the Milkmen. Now the details for their race is still a little fuzzy but mainly James said he "went out too fast" but "was picking off people in the singletrack" and for Seth, it sounded like a lack of fitness is what got to him. His excuse would be that he is working and going to school full-time. I think we can let him off the hook. James ended up 15th our of over 40 racers and Seth well, like I said he has an excuse...32nd of 32 finishers. Believe it or not but that is something to be proud of.
The Expert/Elites were set to go off at 12:30. The skies were blue. The air warm with a slight breeze in the open fields. Joel was in the Elite field running with the big boys. Tom, Steve, and I were the sandbaggers (not really) in the Expert Senior I field. Shawn was pretty sick but decided to give it a shot in the Single Speed category.
The race from my point of view...
The Elites take off...the Trek and Scott boys were in full force...flying as usual. Two minutes later our horn sounds. The start was super fast on a utility trail (lots of gravel but fairly smooth and wide enough for a truck). I was sitting 4th wheel on the right side and noticed two riders moving up the left so I hopped in behind them. As I did this, they went to the right leaving me with a wide open road. Now I've been working on my 5, 10, and 20 minute intervals so I put the hammer down figuring this was my chance at glory. I few past everyone (even Steve who was in the lead at the time) put my head down and pedalled. When I looked back I was about 100 yards off the front just about the hit the singletrack. I never saw them again.
Results...Joel ended up in the money with a very respectable 19th in the Elite race. Shawn DNF'd due to his illness. Tom 8th, Steve 5th, and me, if you didn't notice the picture, 1st. My first win on a geared MTB in about 5 years. Woo! Woo! Not too shabby for the Fast Forward team either as they took 2nd and 3rd. Great job guys.
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